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J FIFTY YEARS 

OF 

THE TYPOTHETAE 

If 

OF THE 

CITY OF NEW YORK ^ 



Commemorative Exercises 
and Exhibit 
April i^, 1915 


New York 

Published by The Typothetae 
1915 


Copyright igiy by the 

Typothetae of the City of ^^JSlew York ^ 


/ 

©CI.A420lia‘^|:_ 

DEC 30 1915 
' 7 ^ . 





CONTENTS 


The Exercises 

Address by Edmund G. Gress 
^Eifty Years of the New York Typothetae^^ 

Address by Henry Lewis Bullen 
^A Retrosped of Fifty Years^^ 

Address by Willis McDonald 
^A Tribute to Organization^’ 

Address by Homer Lee 
^Experiences of a Bank-Note Printer” 

Address by Herbert L. Baker 
^Experiences of a Typothetae Member” 

The Exhibit 

Inception of the Typothetae 

Evolution of the Movement for Profitable Prices 

Souvenirs of the First Period of the Typothetae 

The Typothetae Reorganized 

Early New York Printers’ Societies 

Early Printers’ Societies of Other Cities 

Old New York Printing Houses 

Portraits of Printers of the Sixties 

Bronze Buds 

Curiosities 

Printing of the Fird Typothetae Period 
Printing Trade Periodicals of the Sixties 
Evolution of the Printing Press 


PAGE 

3 


17 

18 

20 

23 

27 

29 

32 

34 

37 

39 

41 

42 

43 

43 

44 

46 

47 















The Exercises 


Vkiklf iA< aAI', 


J 

JL/ E T us^ then, fellow members of the same noble fraternity— 
let us all agree that 'we 'will, 'while engaged in the pradice of our 
noble art, aim to improve and exalt its produdions. Let us count 
no sacrifice too great, no labor too severe, 'which promises superiority! 
Let us neglect nothing 'which 'will make us better printers. 

From an address delivered at the first banquet of New York 
employing printers, February 23, 1863, by Peter C. Baker, 
who in 1865 named the new organization "The Typothetae.” 









































THE EXERCISES 

Held April i^, 1915 , in commemoration of the Golden Anniversary 
of The Typothetae of the City of New York 

N RECOGNITIONofthework 
of those employing printers who 
during the days of the Civil War 
met together and gave thought to 
the welfare of their beloved industry, 
Printing, and whose labors resulted 
years afterward in a great national 
organization and in inestimable 
good to the entire business, mem¬ 
bers of The Typothetae of the City of New York met the 
evening of Tuesday, April 13,1915. The event was the fiftieth 
anniversary of the inauguration of The Typothetae, and the 
meeting was preceded by a dinner at Liichow’s, no East Four¬ 
teenth Street. 

Historical souvenirs relating toTheTypothetae were chrono¬ 
logically arranged in cases and frames at one end of the room, 
and a pamphlet in the typographic style of 1865 was placed 
at each plate. 

As this was also the regular monthly meeting of the or¬ 
ganization, routine business was transacted that included an 
election of officers. The new list of officers was announced as 
follows: President, Frederick Alfred; vice-president, R. W. 
Smith; vice-president, Gustav Zeese; secretary, R. H. Middle- 
ditch; treasurer, James R. Thomson; executive committee, 
James W. Bothwell, George B. Carter, William Green, John 
A. Hill, G. Frederick Kalkhoff, E. M. Lent, John Clyde Os¬ 
wald, William E. Rudge, Frederick Triggs, Edmund Wolcott; 
trustees, L. H. Biglow, 1 . H. Blanchard, A. T. De La Mare, 
Charles Francis, Joseph Gantz, A. Stanley Graff, M. L. Gris- 

3 




wold, Willis McDonald, Nelson Macy, William E. Rudge, 
Robert Schalkenbach, Karl M. Schlueter, George R. Valen¬ 
tine, William F. Vanden Houten, Gustav Zeese. 

The newly elected president, Frederick Alfred, was then 
introduced by the retiring president, James W. Bothwell. The 
interesting fact was revealed that Messrs. Alfred and Bothwell 
represented two of the oldest member houses of The Typothe- 
tae—the J. W. Pratt Company and the DeVinne Press. 

President Alfred expressed appreciation of the honor con¬ 
ferred on him and requested that Mr. Bothwell preside during 
the evening’s exercises. President Alfred continued: ''Gentle¬ 
men, you have given me a position that demands everything 
there is in me to make a success of it. Your retiring president 
made such a wonderful record with the Typothetae work dur¬ 
ing the past two years that it is going to be difficult to follow 
him. You remember that the cost congress held in New York 
two years ago was a great success, not only in the work it did 
and in attendance, but the finances were so well managed that 
he rebated to you a dividend of twenty per cent. And then 
the convention just held last October was the greatest the 
United Typothetae has ever had. He worked hard at that, and 
the dividends returned to contributors amounted to over thirty- 
three and one-third per cent. Now I would like every person 
here to get on his feet so that we can give a vote of apprecia¬ 
tion to Mr. James W. Bothwell, the retiring president of this 
organization. All up!” (All stood, and applauded heartily.) 

Mr. Bothwell acknowledged the tribute, and then, referring 
to the exhibit that was a feature of the Golden Anniversary 
exercises, announced that it would be kept intact for some time 
in the Typographic Library and Museum at Jersey City. 

The Golden Anniversary exercises were then opened by an 
address on the fifty years of The Typothetae, by Mr. Edmund 
G. Gress, editor of The American Printer. 

4 


FIFTY YEARS OF THE NEW YORK 
TYPOTHETAE 
By Edmund G. Gress 

T H E New York Typothetae was formally inaugurated 
March 21, 1865. When Messrs. Alvord, Baker, Smith, 
Trow, Martin, DeVinne and other New York employing 
printers gathered for that meeting, Abraham Lincoln was 
President at Washington; Grant was giving final battle to Lee, 
and Horace Greeley was at work in the editorial rooms of the 
Tribune. It was only several weeks prior to the surrender of 
Lee at Appomattox, April 9, and to the assassination of 
Lincoln, April 14; in fact, some of the early minutes of the 
New York Typothetae contain resolutions on the death of the 
great President. War then, as now fifty years after, had inter¬ 
fered with industry and made it necessary for employing printers 
to meet, organize and cooperate for business betterment. 

The inaugural meeting of The Typothetae was held Tues¬ 
day evening, March 21,1865, at Dodworth’s Hall, 806 Broad¬ 
way. This hall was not far from where the present meeting is 
being held. Forty-two members signed, and forty-one paid the 
initiation fee of five dollars, according to the minutes kept by 
Secretary DeVinne. These officers were elected at this meet¬ 
ing: President, C. A. Alvord; vice-president, John W. Oliver; 
secretary,Theodore L. DeVinne; treasurer, R. Harmer Smith; 
directors, Peter C. Baker, William C. Martin, John F. Trow, 
E. O. Jenkins, Henry Ludwig, Robert Craighead, George 
Mantz, J. F. Baldwin, J. J. Reed. The constitution as adopted 
named the organization the ” Typothetae,” and its member¬ 
ship included "any master printer, stereotyper or electrotyper 
. . . paying an initiation fee of five dollars.” The dues were 
placed at two dollars each quarter. Meetings were to be held 
every three months. 


5 


There is natural curiosity as to why ^^Typothetae” was 
chosen as the name of this organization. I asked Mr. DeVinne 
about it a short time before his death. He said that at a meet¬ 
ing of the promoters of the movement they were considering 
various titles, such asEmploying Printers’Association,” and 
'' Society for the Improvement of the Printing Trade,” when 
Peter C. Baker, of the firm of Baker dC Godwin, whose print¬ 
ing office was located in the Tribune Building, suggested as a 
short title the one word Typothetae.” Mr. Baker, who was 
fond of old books, had come across mention of a printers’ 
society bearing that title which at one time existed in Germany, 
and the name appealed to him. 

It is possible that Peter Baker obtained the name from a 
book by T. C. Hansard, published in London in 1825, for in 
that volume is this: ”I cannot find that Gutenberg was en¬ 
couraged in his labors by the smiles of royal influence. This 
is the most remarkable, as the then reigning sovereign of Ger¬ 
many, Frederick III., was a monarch deeply versed in the 
learning of the times; the emperor permitted printers to wear 
gold and silver, and granted coat-armor to the Typothetae to 
perpetuate the honor of the discovery. This armorial bearing 
is still claimed by professors of the art in Germany. To their 
Printer’s Manual is attached the engraving of which the 
vignette in the title-page of this work is a reduced copy.” This 
coat-armor referred to by Hansard, and used on the title-page 
of his book, furnished copy for the coat-of-arms of the present 
New York Typothetae and also for that of the United Ty¬ 
pothetae and Franklin Clubs of America. 

The reign of Frederick III., who recognized the German 
Typothetae, was from 1440 to 1493. Gutenberg, it will be re¬ 
called, printed from 1450 to 1466. 

The word "Typothetae” comes from the Greek <tv7to<; 
(typos), meaning "type,” and derdg (thetos), verbal adjective, 
5 


from ridevat (titbenai), meaning ^'setting,” "putting” or 
” placing.” In Greek the word would probably be accented on 
the third syllable, as the general rule of Greek accent would 
forbid placing the accent two syllables away from a long vowel 
or a diphthong. The custom among printers of accenting the 
second syllable can be justified on the ground that it is used 
as an English word, and English words are accented as far 
back as possible from the end of the word. 

Before the formal inauguration of The Typothetae in 1865 
a few of New York’s employing printers had been meeting 
more or less regularly as an executive committee, or a sort of 
Printers’ Board of Trade. The movement began soon after 
Theodore L. DeVinne became a member of the firm of 
Francis Hart & Co. in 1859, when he, Peter C. Baker, C. A. 
Alvord and others met at lunch to talk over business matters. 
These informal gatherings culminated in a general council of 
employing printers December 26,1862, followed by a dinner 
at the St. Nicholas Hotel on February 23, 1863, at which 
John F. Trow presided. In giving an account of this meeting 
the "American Dictionary of Printing and Bookmaking’’erro¬ 
neously states that" The new association was then and there 
christened the Typothetae.” Mr. DeVinne assured me that 
this title was not adopted until 1865, and the records also show 
that fact. 

The rather informal organization that existed before 1865 
was usually designated "The Employing Printers’Association” 
or " The Printers of New York,” and the purpose seemed to 
be to have employing printers meet together mainly for the 
adoption of trade prices. 

The second annual dinner was held at the St. Nicholas 
Hotel the evening of February 29, 1864. 

There were meetings January 4 and March 2,1865, and, as 
I have said. The Typothetae was inaugurated March 21,1865. 

7 


What happened to The Typothetae during its first year of 
existence is set forth in a report of the Board of Directors, 
from which I will quote a few sentences: "The projectors of 
The Typothetae anticipated the active support of at least 
three-fourths of all the employing printers of the city; the 
fitting up of a handsomely furnished room as a place of meet¬ 
ing; the establishment of a fund; the discussion of practical 
questions connected with printing, and a collation or some 
social festivity at every general quarterly meeting. At the first 
meeting forty-two names were entered on the roll; at the second 
but seven names; at the third and fourth there was no quorum. 
The success of the society depended on the support given by 
the trade; this failing, all the special advantages that had been 
contemplated fell with it. Yet we are not discouraged.” 

At the second quarterly meeting of The Typothetae, May 
i6,1865, a revised scale of prices was agreed upon. This scale 
of prices was afterward developed by Mr. DeVinne into a 
book called "The Printers’ Price List.” 

The meeting of November 14, 1865, at which there was 
no quorum present, was an informal one held at the office of 
Baker QC Godwin in the Tribune Building. A letter was read 
from Charles W. Felt, who claimed to have invented a ma¬ 
chine that would set, space, justify, lead and distribute type. 
Large machines were to be made for large offices and small 
machines for small offices. The inventor wrote: "It is plain 
that a country newspaper cannot afford to pay four thousand 
dollars for a machine, while they could pay one hundred or 
even four hundred dollars.” 

A convention of master printers (probably the first "cost 
congress”) was held February 20,1866, in New York. Boston, 
Springfield, Hartford, New Haven, Albany, Buffalo, Cincin¬ 
nati, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore had 
each been invited to send two delegates, but only Boston, 

8 


Cambridge, Hartford and New York were represented. H. O. 
Houghton was present from Cambridge; Messrs. Rand, Pot¬ 
ter and Mudge from Boston; Messrs. Lockwood and Eaton 
from Hartford; and Messrs. Alvord,Trow and Martin from 
New York. 

There was a discussion at this convention of the respective 
merits of Adams presses and cylinder presses. It was alleged 
by Mr. Lockwood that the cylinder press was capable of pro¬ 
ducing as fine work as the Adams, but especially it possessed 
a great advantage in the working of dry paper; however, he 
conceded the superiority of the Adams for the general run 
of bookwork. Messrs. Rand and Alvord contended that the 
Adams press was the only instrument for the steady produc¬ 
tion of uniformly good bookwork, but the fact was acknowl¬ 
edged that so fine a work as the London Art Journal was 
printed on a cylinder press. 

On March 23,1866, a remarkable thing happened. Every 
master printer, stereotyper and electrotyper in New York City 
became a member of The Typothetae. New York employing 
printers of the present day can pause in their amalgamation 
and federation work and look back with wonder at the day 
when an employing printers’ association of New York City 
was, so far as membership is concerned, a hundred-per-cent 
organization. The great task was accomplished by placing on 
the rolls the names of all New York master printers, stereo¬ 
typers and electrotypers, and abolishing initiation fees and 
dues. The executive committee then became the ''Board of 
Trade,” which met at any time it cared to. At this meeting 
the treasurer reported a deficit of ^60.70. After collectable 
dues and assessments were paid in, there would remain thirty 
cents in the treasury. 

Upon the death of George Bruce, the typefounder, July 5, 
1866, the Board of Trade attended the frmeral. 


9 


There was another dinner February 21, 1867. 

The next meeting of which I found record was held May 22, 
1867, at the rooms of the Typographical Society, and it was the 
familiar ''general meeting.” President Alvord tendered his 
resignation, and new officers were elected: President, W. C. 
Martin; vice-president, J. J. Hallenbeck; secretary, Theodore 
L. DeVinne; treasurer, E. O. Jenkins. W. C. Martin, chosen 
as president at this meeting, was afterward selected for the same 
office at the revival of The Typothetae in 1883. 

A dinner was held February 21,1868, at the St. Nicholas. 

From 1868 to 1883 very little was done collectively in em¬ 
ploying printers’ organization work in New York City. 

A meeting was held at the Astor House, June 18, 1872 
(William C. Martin in the chair), to consider the demands of 
the Typographical Union for twenty dollars a week and an 
eight-hour day. The employers’ committee that met represen¬ 
tatives of the union three days later consisted of M. B. Wyn- 
koop, of Wynkoop dc Hallenbeck; E.O. Jenkins; R.H. Smith, 
of Smith dc McDougall; John Polhemus; S.W. Green; J. J. 
Little, of Lange, Little dc Hillman; Theodore L. DeVinne, of 
Francis Hart & Co. In a pamphlet by Mr. DeVinne reviewing 
conditions of the trade at that time, he points out that in 1862 
the weekly wages for job and book work were eleven dollars; 
piece rate, thirty-three cents. 

According to The American Printer (then the American 
Bookmaker) of May, 1891, there was another meeting of 
employing printers at the Astor House in 1874, at which Mr. 
Martin again presided. 

A circular, now a part of this exhibit, shows that a meeting 
was called for the Monday following June 3,1876, at the Astor 
House, to consider a "reduced scale” submitted by the com¬ 
mittee of the Typographical Union. 

Thirty-two years ago, mainly through the efforts of Douglas 

10 


Taylor, the New York Typothetae was revived. The first meet¬ 
ing took place at the Astor House, November 20,1883. 

The organization was perfected at a second meeting at the 
Astor House, December ii, 1883, and William C. Martin (who 
had headed The Typothetae in 1867) was chosen president, the 
other officers being: Vice-presidents, Theodore L. DeVinne 
and John F. Trow; secretary, Jesse B. Thomas, Jr.; treasurer, 
Albert B. King; executive committee, Douglas Taylor, J. J. 
Little, M. B. Brown, John Polhemus, J. A. Rogers. 

Since 1883 the New York Typothetae has continued unin¬ 
terruptedly, with the following presidents: WilliamC. Martin, 
from 1883 to 1891; Theodore L. DeVinne, from 1891 to 1898; 
J. J. Little, from 1898 to 1903; William Green, from 1903 to 
1908; Robert Schalkenbach, from 1908 to 1911; Edmund 
Wolcott, from 1911 to 1913; James W. Bothwell, from 1913 to 
1915; Frederick Alfred, 1915. 

It is a pleasing coincidence that just fifty years after the 
inauguration of the first New York Typothetae, of which 
Theodore L. DeVinne was an officer, the president of The 
Typothetae should be one of Mr. DeVinne’s business asso¬ 
ciates—James W. Bothwell, manager of the DeVinne Press. 

Another coincidence is that the new head of the New York 
Typothetae has the same name, with the exception of two 
letters, as that of the first head of The Typothetae in 1865— 
President Alvord, then; President Alfred, now. 

Mr. Henry Lewis Bullen, librarian of the Typographic 
Library and Museum of the American Type Founders Com¬ 
pany, was then introduced and talked of the employing printers 
of 1865. 


II 


A RETROSPECT OF FIFTY YEARS 
By Henry Lewis Bullen 

T H E world was fifty years younger in 1865. We err when 
we call bygone times the old times. We are the ancients. 
Gutenberg is the infant printer; the printers of today are four 
and a half centuries older in craftsmanship. Gutenberg invented 
the essential things when he made the first types and the first 
press: all that follows has been elaboration and improvement 
of his great idea. 

In 1865 printing machinery and appliances were as fully 
adequate to current needs as our machinery is to present needs. 
Inventions are not forced by the demands of the printers. They 
are forced by the demands of the printers’ customers—ever- 
increasing demands, to meet which the resources of 1915 will 
be as inadequate fifty years hence as our facilities would have 
been unnecessary in 1865. There are young men in this audi¬ 
ence who may live to see the proof of this prediction. 

The men of 1865 lived in a period in which all inventions 
then in use were relatively and in many instances actually more 
marvelous than those of any period before or since. Steam 
Printing Office” was a sign only to be found on the larger 
plants; but what of that, in a time when many men were living 
who had seen the first steam engine used in America? That 
was a British invention, but the young Republic had during 
the lives of the men of 1865 assumed a leadership in invention 
that it has ever since easily maintained. The steamship, the 
cotton gin, the reaping machine, the vulcanization of rubber, 
the electric telegraph, the sewing machine, the monitor which 
revolutionized naval warfare—all these were marvelous, and 
they were''made in America” before 1865. 

In the printing field America had easily taken a lead in 
invention which it has never lost. A majority of the original 
12 


members of this Typothetae had entered business when all 
printing was done on wooden hand presses and all paper cutting 
was done on plow paper cutters. They had seen the wooden 
hand press superseded by the all-iron”Washington”in 1819; 
the arrival of the first cylinder press from England in 1827; the 
building of a copy of that press by Hoe in the same year; the 
invention of the Adams power platen press in 1830; the inven¬ 
tion of the Hoe type-revolving press in 1847. They had seen 
the impressions of a printing press increase from 250 to 25,000 
per hour in 1847, and this capacity on the eve of being largely 
increased by Bullock’s invention of the first practicable web 
perfecting press in 1863. All the great newspapers of the world 
in 1865 were printed on fast presses not only invented but made 
in America. America also gave to the world the two-revolution 
press and the small job platen presses, which were still new to 
the printers of 1865. The first self-inking treadle platen or ”job” 
press was used in Boston in 1838. It was the invention of S. P. 
Ruggles, upon whose ideas George P. Gordon effected impor¬ 
tant improvements in the early fifties. Two-revolution presses 
were in the beginning made in sizes as small as i3xi6-inch bed, 
printing 9V2X12 inches, as well as in larger sizes for book and 
news work. However, the earlier two-revolution presses did 
not register well, and stop-cylinder presses were considered 
necessary for register work. It took a quarter of a century to 
learn how to m^e two-revolution presses that would register, 
and now we are about to return to the use of small jobbing two- 
revolution presses. At a meeting in New York of master printers 
from New England, Philadelphia and New York in 1865 there 
was an interesting debate on the subject of press work. The 
general opinion was that book printing could not be done on a 
cylinder press so well as on an Adams power platen press. Now 
the Adams is a relic; only half a dozen are in present use. One 
was offered to the Typographic Library the other day. As it 

^3 


takes the floor space of a 56-inch two-revolution, we reluctantly 
declined the gift, and passed it on to the Smithsonian Insti¬ 
tution in Washington. 

Printers in 1865 could remember the introduction of stereo¬ 
typing from England in 1813. They were using electrotypes 
made by an American who first applied that art in the repro¬ 
duction of type forms in Boston in 1842. They had seen the 
first curved stereotyped plates used in this city in 1861. They 
had seen the first folding machine, an American invention. 
Americans had invented the first typesetting machine. The 
printers in 1865 could choose between the Mitchell, the Alden 
and the Burr typesetting machines, and quite a number were 
in use. 

In typecasting Bruce’s first successful invention of a type¬ 
casting machine had supplanted the hand mold all over the 
world. That was in 1838, although typecasting machines had 
been in the experimental stages in America since 1805. In 1865 
American typefounders first began to set the fashions in type¬ 
faces to the world. Up to 1865 our type-faces were derived 
from Europe; since then Europe has in the main preferred 
Roman type designs of American origin. 

Little can be said in praise of the quality of printing in 1865, 
judged by our standards. Compared with printing in other 
countries, except France, America was then a little ahead on 
the average. The American printing of 1865 was marked by 
progressiveness. There was a steady improvement. The printers 
were progressive. They later on absolutely abolished the use of 
wet paper and introduced hard packing in advance of other 
nations. In 1846 an American (Adams, in the Harper estab¬ 
lishment) first used overlays on woodcuts, and from that time 
American printers excelled in woodcut printing, and brought 
that art to the apex of its perfection a few years before it was 
superseded by the halftone process. 


Printing as a whole was crude in 1865, but everything in the 
Republic was crude—crude but grand! It was the time to break 
new ground, to sweep away forests, to subdue mountain bar¬ 
riers, to bridge the great rivers, and to lay the foundations of 
all the material progress that we enjoy. Making a clearing in 
the forest is crude, rough work; but it has to be done before 
the rich crops wave and the roses bloom around humble, com¬ 
fortable, or palatial homesteads. 

The printers of 1865 lived in the heroic times of the Re¬ 
public. They saw it emerge by means of blood and iron into 
a splendid manhood. They doubtless had grand thoughts; we 
know they had grand aspirations. These were best expressed 
by the Grand Old Man of American typography, Theodore 
Low DeVinne. He more than any other man taught us how 
to print in our present method. He was the youngest of the 
group of the originators of this Typothetae. He was the last to 
leave us. Analyze every successful movement and you will find 
behind it one man, the conceiver of the idea and at the same 
time the willing worker. DeVinne was that man in the organi¬ 
zation and management of this Typothetae. There is ample 
evidence that DeVinne was the originator of the plan to form 
TheTypothetae and the compiler of the'' Prices for Printing.”* 
He was then thirty-six years of age. We cannot honor him too 
much. The measure of our stature as printers is the measure 
of the honor we voluntarily accord to DeVinne, the safe and 
sound citizen and ideal printer. 

In 1865 there were in this city two hundred and three "book 
and job” printing plants. All these except nineteen have dis¬ 
appeared, together with many more which were begun since 
1865. To have survived is an honorable distinction. Permit me 
to read the roll of honor. As it was hastily compiled it may 
not be quite complete: L. H. Biglow dc Co.; Martin B. Brown 
Company; Burr Printing House (then John A. Gray 6 C Green); 

^5 


*See note under item No. 20 in Catalogue of Exhibits. 



Caulon Press (then Raymond dc Caulon); Corlies, Macy Co.; 
Peter De Baun &: Co.; DeVinne Press (then Francis Hart 
Co.); Eagle Job Print (Brooklyn); Harper d>C Brothers; Chaun- 
cey Holt dc Co. (then Holt Brothers); Willis McDonald & Co. 
(then Baker Godwin); MacGowan Slipper (then Sun Job 
Print); George F. Nesbitt QC Co. (now the oldest commercial 
printing business in the city); John Polhemus Company; J.W. 
Pratt Company; Douglas Taylor Co. (successor of Mahlon 
Day); Trow Press (then John F. Trow Company); Wynkoop 
Hallenbeck Crawford Company (then Wynkoop 6c Hallen- 
beck). 

In business today, though not in direct succession, there are 
William Green, one-time president of this Typothetae, son of 
S. W. Green, of John A. Gray d>C Green, and Louis H. Orr, 
of the Orr Press, son of John W. Orr, the distinguished wood 
engraver, who had his printing establishment in Nassau Street 
in 1865. 

The surviving bookbinders are Boorum & Pease (then 
Miles, Boorum & Co.), Robert Rutter Son (then Robert 
Rutter), and Asa L. Shipman’s Sons (then Asa L. Shipman). 

This, then, is our Old Guard.” May they never surrender! 
May they answer the roll call at our centennial celebration in 
1965! To the younger concerns no worthier or more stimulat¬ 
ing ambition can be urged than a determination to establish so 
solidly their businesses that they may become members of the 
Invincibles ” of 1965. 

There was present as the special guest of the evening Mr. 
Willis McDonald, of Willis McDonald Co., whose printing 
business descended from that of Baker & Godwin, of which 
Peter C. Baker, who named The Typothetae, was a member. 
Mr. McDonald was asked to say a few words and he responded 
as follows: 

16 


A TRIBUTE TO ORGANIZATION 
By Willis McDonald 

Y O U will excuse me if I read just a little response in appre¬ 
ciation of this great honor conferred upon me tonight of 
being called the '^oldest living representative” of the formation 
of this society. I have been surprised many times in my life, 
but never more so than when I received the invitation to be 
your guest on this, the fiftieth anniversary of the society. I 
assure you I greatly appreciate the honor and the privilege of 
sitting down in fellowship and harmony with my associates, 
with old and new friends, and I trust we shall always dwell 
together in unity and good-fellowship. 

As to being the oldest living member of this society, it sur¬ 
prised me when I learned it. I am afraid that much of the time 
I have been an unworthy member, and have not been in evi¬ 
dence at many of the meetings in these later years, and have 
given but little service to the society. The formation of this 
society has been justified by time, and the fraternal spirit that 
has actuated its members, and the service they have rendered 
these many years now gone, for the best interests of the printing 
industry, have been fine; for, after all has been said, the highest 
ideal is one of brotherhood and of service to one another. 

Memory brings up the names of many grand men who are 
not with us tonight—men who put in all the brain and brawn 
and service they possibly could, to advance the interests of this 
society. They have gone to their reward, while we have entered 
into their labors, and are reaping the benefits of their labors. 

The history of this society would fill a good-sized volume, 
not to mention the names of such men as William C. Martin, 
Theodore L. DeVinne, Peter C. Baker, Douglas Taylor and 
many others who served their day and generation well. We 
would do well to strive to follow their teachings in many ways. 

^7 


Let us get a broader view of our responsibilities and oppor¬ 
tunities of serving one another, touching elbows a little closer 
as our ranks get thinner, on the march to the Eternal Hills. 
Let us go on with courage, faith and hope dominated by the 
highest ideals of the brotherhood of mankind. 

As we grow older and the shadows begin to lengthen, and 
the leaves which seemed so thick in youth above our heads grow 
thin and show the sky beyond; as those in the ranks in front 
drop away and we come in sight, as we all must, of the eternal 
rifle pits beyond, we begin to feel that among the really precious 
things of life, more lasting and more substantial than many of 
the objects of ambition here, is the love of those we love, and 
the friendship of those whose friendship we prize. 

Mr. Homer Lee, founder of the Homer Lee Bank Note 
Company, was called upon by the chairman, and responded 
humorously in these words: 


EXPERIENCES OF A BANK-NOTE PRINTER 


By Homer Lee 


W H E N in London once I followed into the Bank of 
England printing offlce an old gentleman who they said 
was Senator Cameron, and as I saw him register his name in 
the book I walked over and looked at it, and this is what it 
said: "Cameron, Printer.” He was prouder that he was a printer 
than of the fact that he was a public man. 

My experience as a printer is a rather checkered one. I came 
to New York and the first year I was a printer’s devil down in 
John Street at ^2.50 a week, and I was just about the same size 
then that I am now. At the end of the first year I put out my 
sign on the savings that I made at that salary. That carried me 
along the second year. The third year I hung out my sign, 
18 


'i 


'^Horner Lee dC Company.” The fourth year I hung it out 
”Homer Lee Bank Note Company,” and that was a joke; 
everybody in the engraving business laughed but me. 

Getting along so rapidly, I thought I would try to get on 
the Stock Exchange, so I applied down there and got fired off 
every Friday afternoon for just six years. One day there was 
something going on when a couple of bankers who were very 
instrumental in keeping me off were absent, and on that day I 
got on. That was four o’clock in the afternoon. At four o’clock 
in the morning a cat upset a kerosene lamp, and you know 
what that does to a printing office; it certainly did it all right 
for me. I read it in the newspaper. I ran down and there it 
was, sure enough. All the windows were out and the roof was 
out, but the presses, they were in—the cellar. At nine o’clock 
that morning Garfield was shot and New York went into im¬ 
mediate mourning, but the first one that got up the entire black 
front that covered the windows that were burnt out was myself. 
You would never know that there had been a fire there. I then 
got about forty Italians to haul away the debris and commenced 
the work of reconstruction. 

Now remember, the Stock Exchange required that the plant 
should be housed in fireproof premises (and they require a whole 
lot of things that are mighty hard to meet), but "fireproof 
premises” is about the first thing on the list. And they never 
found it out up to now. I was afraid to tell it, but I know what 
printers are, and you can sometimes give out your secrets among 
fellow printers. Still I finished it up, and somehow or other 
I found I had one floor vacant; that was the top floor, and I 
thought I would put in an advertisement. So I put in one ad¬ 
vertisement in one newspaper once. One man answered it; in 
one hour he signed the lease, in one day he commenced to 
move, and in one week he was there. He held the fort on the 
top floor for quite a while, and he had one of these Baxter 


engines. A Baxter engine is something like a barrel—a big 
saturated barrel with a very active top somewhat given to mak¬ 
ing noise. Well, this engine of his went along all right until a 
belt broke and it tipped, broke loose from its moorings, rolled 
out through the house and would have gone out the window 
if it had not been stopped. 

Mr. Herbert L. Baker was noticed in the audience and in 
response to an invitation from the chairman addressed the 
meeting: 

EXPERIENCES OF A TYPOTHETAE MEMBER 
By Herbert L. Baker 

I WA N T to tell you my first experience in The Typothetae. 

I was in the printing business in St. Paul, and joined The 
Typothetae there twenty-five or thirty years ago. The dues were 
^lo, and ^lo were hard to raise in those days in the printing 
business in St. Paul. Well, it was our custom on Saturday night, 
my partner and myself, to get together and figure out the bills 
for the important items which had been finished up during the 
week. The very next Saturday night we had to figure up a job 
of labels for a paint house that had a fire. They were accus¬ 
tomed to pay us so much a thousand for labels, one lot printed 
at a time as needed. The fire spoiled all their labels and gave 
us many thousands to print at once. We printed them on a 
cylinder press—our only cylinder press; we had paid only ^loo 
on it, but still I called it ours. We figured up that job at ^95 
and made out a bill. I said to my partner,'^Hold on a minute; 
we have ^10 Typothetae dues to pay; why not put that on the 
bill?” So we made the bill ^105. That looked very simple, and 
my partner said,We will have to pay next year, so why not 
put in ^10 more and make it ^115?” Well,” I said,''while we 
20 


are about it, let us put in the third year; this is easy.” And so 
we made a new bill for ^125. Then we stopped and figured up 
what that patron would have had to pay for those labels sepa¬ 
rately at the price we had been charging, and we found they 
would have cost him ^215. So we made a price of ^195, and 
the customer thanked us for the concession of ^20 from our 
regular price. You see, my membership in The Typothetae the 
first week made me ^100. 

For the first time I got the idea that the cost of doing a 
job of printing was not the only criterion of its selling value, 
and that idea has been of great value to me in a business way 
ever since. Now, if I love The Typothetae, if I believe in The 
Typothetae, if I have done any work in The Typothetae, it is 
because of the business training I got from it, of which this 
^100 was the first example. I realize now that I sadly needed 
such training, and I suspect there are still a few in the business 
who need it. We ought to stand by the organization, not only 
because it is a good thing for others, but it is a good thing for 
ourselves; it dignifies the business and puts competition on a 
higher plane; and while it puts money in our pockets, it makes 
us mindful of the interests of our fellows. I hope I may be 
allowed to be a member of this organization as long as I live— 
and then some. The Baker family was represented at the or¬ 
ganization of The Typothetae fifty years ago, and a young 
'^chip” of it is present with me tonight, who I hope may attend 
the one hundredth anniversary fifty years hence, and tell them 
about this splendid gathering. 

Speaking of fifty years hence, one cannot help wondering 
how printing will be done at that time. The last thirty years 
have seen more changes in printing methods and machinery 
than occurred during all the previous history of the art. Changes 
are occurring now with bewildering variety and swiftness. When 
The Typothetae celebrates its one hundredth anniversary, elec- 

21 


tricity may be printing all the copies of a job at one contact— 
any number of sheets from one to a million in a second of time; 
photography and chemicals may have superseded presses and 
ink as we know them; paper may be made from a light and 
flexible metal, indestructible and unchangeable. I say ''may,” 
but can see at present no substantial reason for thinking that 
there will be any radical changes in the basic methods now used 
by the printer, though there will doubtless be great improve¬ 
ments in their details. Of one thing Fm sure: The Typothetae 
as an educational and mutually helpful institution will be just 
as useful and necessary as it is now. Tonight we reach out our 
hands across the years yet to be, and in spirit join in the cen¬ 
tenary celebration of the New York Typothetae, with hearty 
good wishes for its success and prosperity during its second 
century. 

Brief talks appropriate to the occasion were made by Messrs. 
W. F. Vanden Houten, F. A. Ringler, and others. 

At the suggestion of Mr. H. H. Cooke a vote of apprecia¬ 
tion was given by the meeting to Mr. Henry L. Bullen for the 
remarkable exhibit arranged for the occasion. 

On motion of Mr. John Clyde Oswald the meeting voted 
that the proceedings of the evening be preserved in some special 
and permanent form for presentation to the members. 


22 



The Exhibit 


IHE items that compose this notable exhibit are from the 
Typographic Library and Museum in Jersey City, established in 
igo8 by Mr. Robert JV. Nelson, president of the American Type 
Founders Company. The books, prints, and relics in this library and 
museum were collected by Mr. Henry L. Bullen, and form the molt 
important and comprehensive colle&ion of dired interest to printers 
that can be found anywhere in the 'world. 
































































































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',.. , JIP»V 

Ligtf V>,-V;li*yfcAili4iki A*-.^ ij!aA.<.< Lka" 



















THE EXHIBIT 


At the Golden Anniversary meeting as arranged and catalogued by 
Mr. Henry Lewis Bullen; with a preliminary note 

H E earliest association of printers in 
New York was the Typographical 
Society, established in 1795 and con¬ 
tinuing until 1797. Little is known 
of its history. It was an employee 
association, and succeeded in raising 
wages to one dollar per day of twelve 
hours. In 1799 the Franklin Typo¬ 
graphical Society was organized, and 
continued until about 1804. It was composed of journeymen 
compositors and pressmen. David Bruce, afterwards eminent 
as a master printer and typefounder, and inventor of the 
plate-shaving machine and the ^'mahogany stereotype block,” 
was its first president, and George Bruce, his brother and sub¬ 
sequent partner, was its first secretary. George Bruce’s certifi¬ 
cate of membership is No. 64 in this exhibit, and No. 63 is the 
broadside address of the society '^To the Master Printers of 
New York,” which contains a proposed wage scale and advo¬ 
cates a protective tariff on books. This address is not dated, but 
was doubtless issued in 1800. The scale, which advanced wages 
to seven dollars per week, went into effect and was current until 
1809. In 1809 the New York Typographical Society was organ¬ 
ized, and still is in existence as a mutual benefit association. 
Until 1818 it was a trades union; but in that year it became a 
benefit society and began to admit employing printers. In 1823 
it instituted a library, which in 1856 had four thousand volumes 
for the use of members and ” apprentices on guaranty of mem¬ 
bers.” This society had its offices and rooms at No. 300 Broad¬ 
way, corner of Chambers Street, and although a great majority 

25 












of its members were journeymen, the employing printers of 
New York held their meetings in the rooms of the New York 
Typographical Society. TheTypothetae used the rooms of the 
Society during the first period of its activity. The annual ban¬ 
quets of the Society were important functions, always in cele¬ 
bration of Franklin’s birthday, and reported at length in the 
newspapers. Three poster-programmes of the banquets in 1850, 
1851 and 1853 are Nos. 69, 70 and 71 in this exhibit. 

The first efforts to form a permanent organization of em¬ 
ploying printers took shape in December, 1862, as we learn 
from an article in the Typographic Advertiser (Philadelphia), 
April, 1863, probably written by DeVinne. Several meetings 
were held between that time and February 23,1863, when the 
first banquet of employing printers was held at the St. Nicholas 
Hotel, a detailed report of which is given in the article referred 
to above. The first item in this exhibit is the card of admission 
to that banquet. The employing printers continued to meet 
irregularly in the rooms of the New YorkTypographical Society, 
and item No. 6 in this exhibit is a circular dated December 31, 
1864, calling a meeting of the employing printers in the Society’s 
rooms on January 4,1865, at 1.30 P. M., at which meeting plans 
were made to establish The Typothetae. The next item in this 
exhibit is a circular dated February 15,1865, calling a meeting 
at the office of Francis Hart &: Co. to receive the''Report on 
Permanent Organization.” This meeting was followed by a 
general meeting of the printing trade, called by circular (item 
No. 9) dated February 27,1865, held in the rooms of the New 
YorkTypographical Society on March 2,1865, at which the 
Executive Committee presented "A Plan for the Permanent 
Organization of the Master Printers of this City,” and sub¬ 
mitted for consideration printed copies of the "Constitution of 
the New Society.” Then followed the meeting of March 21 at 
Dodworth’s Hall, No. 806 Broadway, at which The Typothe- 

26 


tae was formally inaugurated and officers elected, after which 
business there was a dinner, the card for which is No. 11 exhibit. 

We owe the preservation of this interesting consecutive 
series of historical documents to the scholarly sentiments of 
Theodore L. DeVinne and George Bruce, from whose collec¬ 
tions of typographical souvenirs they have found a permanent 
place in the Typographic Library and Museum in Jersey City, 
which is open to visitors during all business hours. The historical 
souvenirs relating to The Typothetae are arranged in chrono¬ 
logical order.— H.L.B. 

Inception of The Typothetae 

1 

Card: The printers’dinner, St. Nicholas Hotel, February 23, 
1863. First banquet held by the employing printers of New 
York. 

2 

Pamphlet: The printers’dinner, February 22 (?), 1863. Ad¬ 
dress of Peter C. Baker, responding to the toast "Our Pro¬ 
fession.” ^ 

Card: The printers’dinner, St. Nicholas Hotel, 515 Broadway, 
February 29, 1864. ^ 

Card: Admission ticket to second dinner, February 29,1864, 
issued to George Bruce, and signed "Theo. L. DeVinne, 
Secy.” 5 

Menu: Second annual dinner of the printers of New York, 
St. Nicholas Hotel, February 29,1864. There are seventy- 
five items in this Gargantuan bill of fare. 

6 

Circular, December 31,1864: Call for third aimual meeting of 
employing printers of New York, for January 4, 1865. 

It was at this meeting that it was dedded to organize The Typothetae. 

27 


7 

Circular dated February 15,1865: Call for special meeting of 
Executive Committee of employing printers to be held at 
office of Francis Hart dc Co., February 17,1865, to consider 
the ''Report of the Special Committee on Permanent Or¬ 
ganization.” 

This is a proof copy with corrections in Mr. DeVinne’s handwriting. 
Pasted on the back of this exhibit is a call for an earlier meeting at same 
place, dated January 14, 1865. 

8 

Circular dated February 20,1865: Call for meeting of the Ex¬ 
ecutive Committee to be held at the office of Francis Hart 
dc Co., February 24,1865, to consider "the Constitution for 
a Permanent Organization.” 

9 

Circular, dated February 27,1865: Call for a general meeting 
of the trade to be held in the rooms of the New York Typo¬ 
graphical Society, No. 3 Chambers Street, on March 2,1865, 
to hear "a Plan for the Permanent Organization of the 
Master Printers of this city. . . . Printed copies of the Con¬ 
stitution of a new Society, and a Statement of the Advan¬ 
tages to be derived, will then and there be submitted for 
consideration.” 

10 

Pamphlet: Printed draft of the first Constitution of The Ty- 
pothetae, submitted to a general meeting of master printers 
of New York City, at a meeting held March 2, 1865, 
unanimously approved. 

In this pamphlet the name"TheTypothetae” first appears in print. 

11 

Card: Inauguration of The Typothetae, Tuesday evening, 
March 21,1865, at Dodworth’s Hall, 806 Broadway. 


28 


12 

Minutes of the first meeting of The Typothetae, held at Dod- 
worth’s Hall, March 21,1865, in the handwriting of Theo¬ 
dore L. DeVinne, secretary. 

At this meeting The Typothetae was formally inaugurated, and the first 
officers were elected. Forty-two members personally signed the Roll Book, 

13 

First Constitution of The Typothetae, finally adopted at the 
inauguration meeting on March 21, 1865, together with 
autograph signatures of the original signers. 

H 

First Roll Book of The Typothetae. 

15 

Bill of March 25,1865, rendered by Francis Hart 6 C Co., for 
printing and stationery for the first meeting of The Ty¬ 
pothetae. 

An excellent example of "fine job printing” of the period. 

16 

Bill of March 21,1865, rendered by Benjamin F. Howe, caterer 
to the inauguration dinner of The Typothetae. 

Evolution of the Movement for Profitable Prices 

Prices for printing, 1818: Prices of printing agreed upon by the 
master printers of the City of New York, at a meeting held 
the i8th of September, 1815, on pages 212-219 of''The 
Printer’s Guide, or an Introduction to the Art of Printing,” 
by C. S. Van Winkle, printer to the University of New 
York, 1818. 

This book is the first American textbook of printing. It contains, among 
other advertisements, that of M. Smith, 241 Pearl Street, manufacturer 

2p 


of printers^ materials. At this time Robert Hoe was working as a black¬ 
smith for Smith, to whose business he succeeded, by marrying Smith’s 
daughter. 

18 

Prices for printing, 1864: Prices for printing recommended by 
the employing printers of the City of New York in conven¬ 
tion, February 2, 1864. 

”(Proof copy, to be used for revision only.)” Known as the ”Brown Cover 
Price Book,” this was the work of Mr. DeVinne. It was signed by one 
hundred and nineteen master printers. In 1862 a four-page pamphlet of 
prices was adopted by the body of printers who afterwards formed The 
Typothetae (see DeVinne’s preface to his ”Printers’ Price List” of 1869). 

19 

Prices for printing, 1864: Prices for printing adopted by the em¬ 
ploying printers of the City of New York, February 11,1864. 

”The authentic copies of the Scale of Prices are bound in Drab Covers. 

. . . The copies bound in Brown Covers are Proof-Copies. ... It is 
particularly requested that the Proof-Copies be destroyed, as many of the 
prices have been changed.” 

This price list was signed by an executive committee, probably elected by 
the "convention” of master printers held on February 2 (see item 18). 
This committee was composed of C. A. Alvord (chairman), R. H. Smith, 
George Mantz, W. C. Martin, John F. Trow, Peter C. Baker, C. S. 
Westcott, J. J. Hallenbeck, Samuel Booth and Theodore L. DeVinne 
(secretary). The names of one hundred and thirty-eight printing firms are 
printed as accepting the price list. 


20 

Scale of prices as adopted by the New England Franklin Club, 
Boston, July i, 1864. 

The master printers of Boston and neighboring cities met at Young’s 
Hotel on January 19, 1863, and formed "The New England Association 
of Printers and Journalists,” which found little support, and was reorgan¬ 
ized on January 18,1864, as "The New England Franklin Society.” The 
officers were: Albert J. Wright, president; Albion K. P. Welch, vice- 
president; John Wilson, Jr., secretary and treasurer; and Alfred Mudge, 
W. F. Draper (Andover), D. W. Rogers, John C. Farnham (Winthrop), 
and Daniel Gunn, executive committee. Twenty-eight firms joined as 

30 




members, among whom, curiously enough, is found Ezra R. Andrews of 
Rochester, afterwards (in 1895-96) president of the United Typothetae of 
America. On April 10, 1864, a committee was elected to prepare a pam¬ 
phlet giving a ” detailed scale of prices of all classes of work which came 
under the head of Book and Job Printing and Stereotyping.” This is the 
pamphlet here exhibited. While not exactly the same as the scale of prices 
formulated a little earlier in New York, a good part is reprinted from the 
New York Scale, and in the preface due acknowledgment is made by the 
committee of indebtedness to the New York organization, concluding 
thus: ”And they take this opportunity to present their thanks to Theo¬ 
dore L. DeVinne, Esq., for the great service rendered to the craft by his 
labors in preparing this work.” 


21 


Proposed prices for 1865: (Proof Sheet for revision only,)” 
submitted at the meeting of The Typothetae, May 16,1865, 
at Dodworth’s Hall. 

This price list is part of the call for the regular meeting, printed on first 
page. ”We expect to have a good time. Come! Bring a new member if 
possible.” 

22 

Prices for 1865, adopted by the book and job printers of the 
City of New York at a general meeting of The Typothetae, 
May 16,1865. 

This is the first work of The Typothetae. It was not issued until July 13, 
1865, the interval being used to bring employing printers into agreement. 

23 

Prices for 1866, adopted by the book and job printers of the 
City of New York at a meeting of The Typothetae, April 
20,1866, with list of officers, and members of the Board of 
Trade. 

The Board of Trade was in effect the executive committee of The Ty- 
pothetae. 

24 

Circular, dated April 2,1866: Call for regular meeting of the 
Board of Trade on April 5, 1866, with list of officers and 
members. 


3 ^ 


25 

DeVinne’s Price List of 1869: (Proot copy.) The Printers’ 
Price List. A Manual for the use of Cleric and Bookkeepers 
in Job Printing Offices, by Theo. L. DeVinne, New York, 
1869. 

The preface is an interesting review of trade conditions, and from it we 
learn that at meetings preliminary to the first banquet of master printers 
(item No. i) a four-page pamphlet of prices was adopted. This book of 
168 pages is now extremely rare. It is interleaved with writing paper for 
additions. Only a few copies were printed, primarily for use in DeVinne’s 
own business, with a few for other printers who were thought to have 
courage enough to hold to fair prices. *Tt is really the proof of a better 
edition, in the making of which the writer looks confidently for the aid of 
every one who takes a copy. . . . His object is ... to give to the trade 
. . . a price list that must from its justice be accepted as authority.” 

26 

DeVinne’s Price List of 1871: The Printers’ Price List. A 
Manual for the use of Clerks and Bookkeepers in Job Print¬ 
ing Offices, by Theo. L. DeVinne, New York, 1871. The 
second edition. 

This book, invaluable in its time, was the culmination of DeVinne’s 
efforts toward securing profitable prices for printers. He commenced his 
campaign in 1862. 

Souvenirs of the First Period ofTheTypothetae 

27 

Bill from John W. Oliver for printing the Constitution of The 
Typothetae. 

The billhead is interesting; note the picture of the fast web card press 
invented by Gordon; ”prints, cuts and counts 10,000.” 

28 

Ticket: The Typothetae, third annual dinner, Maison Doree, 
February 20,1866. 

Bill of caterer, third annual dinner, 1866. 

52 


'I 


30 

Circular, dated March 19, 1866: Call for general meeting of 
the trade to be held March 23, 1866, to consider amend¬ 
ments to Constitution, recognizing^'all printers in the city 
as members, entitled to voice and vote at all meetings, the 
abolition of all fees and dues, and an increase in the number 
of directors.” 

31 

Ticket for fourth annual dinner, at Maison Doree, February 
21, 1867, signed by C. A. Alvord. 

32 

Report of The Typothetae for 1867, opened at the Treasurer’s 
statement. 

33 

Ticket: The Typothetae, fifth dinner, St. Nicholas, February 
21,1868. 

On this card appears for the first time the emblematic device of The Ty¬ 
pothetae. This device is still in use. The last dinner of The Typothetae 
of the first period was held in 1872. 

34 

Circular, dated November 16, 1867: Call for special meeting 
of the Board of Trade at Crook’s restaurant, November 21, 
1867, to consider "the evils of low prices and unfair com¬ 
petition and their remedies.” 

35 

The State of Trade: Observations on Eight Hours and Higher 
Prices, suggested by recent conferences between the New 
York Typographical Union and the Employing Book and 
Job Printers of that city, by Theo. L. DeVinne, New York, 
1872. 

This is a thorough exposition of the condition of business in 1872, in pp. 44. 


33 


36 

Circular, dated June 3,1876: Call for meeting of employing 
printers at the Astor House, June 8,1876, ''to consider the 
Reduced Scale submitted by the Committee of the Typo¬ 
graphical Union.” 

The Typothetae Reorganized 

37 

Circular dated November 19,1883: Call for a "private prelim¬ 
inary and informal gathering” on November 20, 1883, at 
the Astor House, "with a view to reviving the old and pop¬ 
ular organization of employing book and job printers.” 

38 

Constitution and rules of order of The Typothetae of New 
York, reorganized November, 1883. Fifty-four firms con¬ 
stituted the membership. 

39 

First account book and register of members of the reorganized 
Typothetae, opened December 5,1883. 

40 

Visitors’register of The Typothetae, from 1883 to date. 

41 

Annual dinner, 1884: Report of annual dinner of The Ty¬ 
pothetae of New York, at the Metropolitan Hotel, January 
17, 1884; list of members, toasts, and reports of addresses; 
pamphlet, pp. 14. 

Annual dinner, 1885: Report of annual dinner of The Ty¬ 
pothetae of New York, at the Hoffman House, January 17, 
1885; menu, list of guests and members, and reports of ad¬ 
dresses; pamphlet, pp. ii. 

3i 


43 

Annual dinner, 1886: Annual dinner of The Typothetae of 
the City of New York, at Delmonico’s, January 18, 1886; 
list of guests and members, menu, and reports of addresses; 
pamphlet, pp. 15. 

44 

Annual dinner, 1887: Annual dinner of The Typothetae of 
New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 1887; list of 
guests and members, menu, and reports of addresses; pam¬ 
phlet, pp. 12. 

45 

Annual dinner, 1888; Annual dinner of The Typothetae of 
New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 1888; menu, 
list of guests and members, reports of addresses; pamphlet. 


pp. 14. 


46 


Second convention of the United Typothetae of America: 
Proceedings of the banquet given by The Typothetae of 
New York to the delegates to the annual meeting of the 
United Typothetae of America, Metropolitan Opera House, 
September 20,1888; menu, list of guests and members, re¬ 
ports of addresses; pamphlet, pp. 30. 


47 

Annual dinner, 1889: Annual dinner of The Typothetae of 
New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17,1889; menu, 
list of guests and members, reports of addresses; pamphlet. 


pp. 14. 


48 


Annual dinner, 1890: Report of annual dinner of The Ty¬ 
pothetae of New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 
1890; list of guests and members, and reports of addresses; 
pamphlet, pp. 20. 


49 


Annual dinner, 1891: Report of annual dinner of The Ty- 


35 


pothetae of New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 
1891; list of guests and members, and reports of addresses; 
pamphlet, pp. 16. 

Annual dinner, 1892: Report of annual dinner of The Ty- 
pothetae of New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 18, 
1892; menu, list of guests and members, and reports of 
addresses; pamphlet, pp. 12. 


Annual dinner, 1893: Report of annual dinner of The Ty- 
pothetae of New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 
1893; list of guests and members, and reports of addresses; 
pamphlet, pp. 12. 

Bradford bi-centenary, 1893: Dinner of the printing and allied 
trades in celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of 
the introduction of printing in New York by William Brad¬ 
ford, at Delmonico’s, April 12, 1893; souvenir, menu; 
pamphlet, pp. 16. 

Annual dinner, 1894: Report of annual dinner of The Ty- 
pothetae of New York, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 
1894; list of guests, and reports of addresses; pamphlet, 
pp. 18. 

54 

Annual dinner, 1895: Report of annual dinner of The Ty- 
pothetae, at Hotel Brunswick, January 17, 1895; list of 
guests and members, and reports of addresses; pamphlet, 

PP- 3 - „ 

The DeVinne-Franklin medal, 1901; N. D. Brenner, sculptor. 

The die for this medal is in the Typographic Library and Museum. 

56 

Sculptor’s model of the DeVinne-Franklin medal, 1901. 

36 


The DeVinneTypothetae medal, 1912. 

58 

Collection of badges of TheTypothetae of New York and other 
cities used at international conventions. 

59 

Charter of The Typothetae of the City of New York, issued 
by the United Typothetae of America in 1888. 

60 

Presidents of The Typothetae since 1883: 

a. William C. Martin, 1883-1890. 

b. Theodore L. DeVinne, 1891-1897. 

c. Joseph J. Little, 1898-1902. 

d. William Green, 1903-1907. 

e. Robert Schalkenbach, 1908-1910. 
f Edmund Wolcott, 1911-1912. 

g. James W. Bothwell, 1913-1915. 

61 

Agreement signed by members of The Typothetae of New 
York preliminary to the strike of 1887. 

62 

Group of portraits of sixty-two members of The Typothetae of 
New York in 1891. 

Early NewYork Printers’ Societies 

63 

Broadside of the Franklin Typographical Association, circa 
1800: To the master printers of the City of NewYork; list 
of prices for composition and presswork. 

The earliest known printed scale of prices in New York. Compositors 
demanded seven dollars a week of twelve hours a day. 


37 


64 

Certificate of membership on vellum, issued by the Franklin 
Typographical Association to George Bruce, May 23,1801. 

65 

Franklin Typographical Association of New York, 1802: An 
address on the third anniversary of the Association, on July 
5,1802, by Thomas Ringwood; pamphlet, pp. 22. 

66 

New York Typographical Society, 1847: An address on civil 
government, at the Society library lecture-room, February 
25,1847, by Hon. Ely Moore, M.C.; pamphlet, pp. 46. 

Ely Moore was a journeyman printer, a member of the Society, and en¬ 
joyed celebrity as an orator. 

67 

New York Typographical Society, 1849: An oration on Frank¬ 
lin at the printers’ festival, January 17, 1849, by John L. 
Jewett; pamphlet, pp. 37. 

68 

New York Typographical Society, 1850: Proceedings at the 
printers’ banquet, at Niblo’s, January 17,1850; pamphlet, 
pp. 64. 

Contains a history of the Society. 

69 

Celebration of Franklin’s birthday by New York Typographical 
Society, January 17,1850, at Niblo’s; poster programme. 

Very attractive broadside. 

70 

Celebration of Franklin’s birthday by New York Typographical 
Society, January 17,1851, at Niblo’s; poster programme. 

71 

Celebration of Franklin’s birthday by New York Typographical 
Society, January 17,1853; poster announcement. 

Very attractive broadside. 

5S 


72 

New York Typographical Society, 1856; Constitution and by¬ 
laws, with list of officers and members. New York, 1856; 


pp. 39. 


73 


Certificate of NewYorkTypographical Society, issued to George 
Bruce, typefounder, in 1856. 


Early Printers’ Societies of Other Cities 

74 

Company of Stationers, London, 1678: The Orders and Rules 
and Ordinances ordained, devised and made by the Master 
and Keepers and Wardens and Comminalty (sic) of the 
Mystery or Art of Stationers of the City of London, for the 
well governing of that Society, London, 1678; pp. 28. 

This is the oldest organization of printers in the world, and is now one of 
the great companies of London. It was instituted as a guild in 1403; when 
printing was introduced in England it accepted printers as members; it 
received a charter in 1556 giving it control of copyrights in Great Britain, 
which it exercised until 1913; its history is the history of book printing in 
Great Britain. 

75 

Boston Franklin Association, 1802: An oration on the art of 
printing, in Franklin Hall, July 5, 1802, by William Bur¬ 
dick; pamphlet, pp. 31. 

76 

Faustus Association, Boston, 1808: Address at the annual cele¬ 
bration, October 4,1808, by John Russell; pamphlet, pp. 23. 

77 

Franklin Typographical Society of Boston, 1826: Address at 
the anniversary celebration, January 17,1826, by Jefferson 
Clark; pamphlet, pp. 32. 

This Society was established in 1824; it is still active; Albert W. Finlay, 
now president of the U. T. and F. C. of A., is its latest president; it has 
an extensive library. 


39 


78 

Franklin Typographical Society of Boston, 1848: Proceedings 
at the printers’ festival at Hancock Hall, January 15, 1848; 
pamphlet, pp. 100. 

Contains a history of the Society. 

79 

Franklin Typographical Society of Boston, 1850: Constitution 
and catalogue of library, Boston, 1850; pp. 32. 

80 

Franklin Typographical Society of Boston, i860: Order of 
exercises for the one hundred and fifty-fourth birthday of 
Franklin, in the Boston Music Hall, January 17, i860. 

A notable occasion; oration by Edward Everett; music by the Handel and 
Haydn Society. ^ 

Franklin Typographical Society, 1874: Proceedings at the ob¬ 
servance of the semi-centennial of its institution, January 17, 
1874, with a brief historical sketch, Boston, 1875; pp. 60. 

82 

Boston Typographical Society, 1838: Engraved certificate of 
this Society, the history of which is apparently unknown. 

83 

List of prices adopted by the journeymen printers of Pittsburgh, 
January ii, 1836; a facsimile. 

Compositor’s price per hour, 20 cents; weekly wage, ^7.50, with ten-hour 
day. 

84 

Philadelphia Typographical Society: Certificate of Member¬ 
ship, lithograph designed by Sartain, with impressive em¬ 
blematic picture, size 20x23 ii^ches. 

This is the oldest association of printers in America; it is still active; it 
was established in 1802, and chartered in 1832. 

40 


85 

Philadelphia Typographical Society, 1843: The charter and 
by-laws, with the members’ names, and catalogue of the 
library, Philadelphia, 1843; pp. 52. 

86 

Plan of apprenticeships adopted by the Cincinnati Typograph¬ 
ical Union, February 15, 1851. (Facsimile; the original in 
possession of The A. Fi. Pugh Printing Co., Cincinnati.) 

The Cincinnati Typographical Union in 1851 was an employers’ associa¬ 
tion, while the employees’ association at that time was The Franklin 
Society. This is the first agreement formulated in America relating to 
condition of the apprentices. It is signed by seventeen firms, several of 
which are still active. 


Old New York Printing Houses 


^7 

Old New York printing offices and printing-press factories: 
a. J. QC J. Harper. g. R. Hoe Co., 1865. 

h. Harper Brothers. h. Old Bible House. 

c. N.Y. World and Scientific /. New Bible House. 

American. j. Methodist Publishing 

d. R. Hoed: Co., 1833. Building. 

e. R. Hoe &: Co., 1852. k John W. Orr. 

f R. Hoe dc Co., 1856. gg 


Old New York printing offices and printing-press factories: 


d. Day-Book Office. 
h. Printing-House Square. 

c. Shields’ Steam Printery. 

d. Apprentice Library. 

e. Appleton’s (exterior). 
f Appleton’s (interior). 

g. Appleton’s, Bond Street. 


h. Robert Sears. 

i. Cyrus W. Field d: Co. 

;. N.Y. Herald. 

k. John A. Gray & Green. 
/. Geo. F. Nesbitt. 

m. Gordon Press Works. 

n. Evening Mail. 


4^ 


89 

Old New York printing and electrotyping plants and typo¬ 
graphical souvenirs: 


a, Frank Leslie’s Publishing 

House. 

b, Crum dc Ringler. 

c, Wm. Denyse 6 c Sons. 

d, E. P. Goby 6 C Co. 

e, Jos. P. Felt dc Co. 

f, Francis 6 C Loutrel. 

g, Lovejoy, Son 6 C Co. 

Printing-House Square, New York, in 1862: Shows printing 
offices of Baker 6C Godwin, Tribune, Times, Bible Society, 
Currier QC Ives, World, etc. 

The above comprise only a limited selection from the pictures of printing 
plants in the Typographic Library and Museum. 


k Old site of Rhinelander 
Building. 

i. Bradford celebration, 1863 

(three pieces). 

j. Printers’ Erie Canal cele¬ 

bration, 1825. 
k Printers’ Atlantic cable 
celebration, 1858. 


90 


Portraits of Printers of the Sixties 


91 

Editorial staff of New York Tribune in early’50s: Photograph 
by Brady. 

Portraits of Greeley, Bayard Taylor, Thomas McElrath (practical printers), 
Cleveland, Snow, Dana and Ripley. 

92 

Portrait group of American printers, typefounders and press 
builders, eminent in 1856: Steel engravings by Whitechurch. 
New York is represented by John F. Trow, C. A. Alvord (first president 
of The Typothetae), George F. Nesbitt (whose printing business still con¬ 
tinues—the oldest in New York), Edward O. Jenkins, George P. Gordon 
(then a master printer), George Bruce and James Conner. Boston and 
Philadelphia are also represented. 


4 ^ 


Bronze Busts 


93 

Bronze bust of Franklin, by Boyle, on pedestal. 

94 

Bronze bust of DeVinne, by Chester Beach. 

Curiosities 

95 

Historic stereo, matrix: One of the set of matrices first used 
in casting curved plates in America, New York Tribune, 
August 31, i86i. ^ 

Second largest newspaper ever printed: The Constellation, 
New York, 1850. 

97 

Example of rule-twisting composition; a kind of art with which 
the printers of 1865 were fortunately not afflicted. 

98 

Cartoon drawing on the wood by Thomas Nast, leading car¬ 
toonist of America of 1865, for Harper’s Weekly. 

99 

Stereotype plate made by the clay process; the kind of book 
plate most generally used in 1865; superior to plates cast 
from papier-mache matrices. 

100 

Woodcut engraved by Alexander Anderson, the first American 
wood-engraver, son of a master printer of New York; born, 
1775; died, 1870. 

Bible of 1846, printed by Harper 6 C Brothers, profusely illus¬ 
trated, in printing which modern overlays were first used on 
woodcuts. 


43 


Printing of the First Typothetae Period 
102 

Fast travel in 1837: Poster of the pioneer fast line by rail cars 
and canal packets from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, through 
in three and one-half days. 

103 

John F. Trow, 1853: Specimen book of the letterpress, stereo¬ 
typing and woodcut printing establishment of John F. Trow, 
49 Ann Street, New York, 1853; 8vo, pp. 100. 

Contains excellent examples of woodcut printing. 

104 

John F. Trow, 1856: Specimen book of the letterpress, stereo¬ 
typing, electrotyping and woodcut printing establishment 
of John F. Trow, 377 and 379 Broadway, corner of White 
Street, New York, 1856; 8vo, about pp. 200. 

He was rated among the best printers of the time, and the pages opened 
here doubtless represent effort in color printing as supreme as it was am¬ 
bitious. 

The specimen book of 1862: Specimen book of printing types 
from the Chicago Type Foundry, 90 Washington Street, 
Chicago, 1862. 

The first Chicago type specimen book; the only type specimen book issued 
during the period of the Civil War; the title-page is a characteristic example 
of the elaborate composition of the period. 

106 

Collection of business cards in the highest style of the art,” 
circa 1865. 

^ 107 

Collection of three hundred business cards of New York trades¬ 
men and others, circa 1865. 


44 



108 

Color printing from woodcuts in 1864: ^Trinted with Wade’s 
letterpress inks, manufactured by H. D. Wade dc Co., 50 
Ann Street, New York.” 

109 

Charles Shields, circa 1865: Specimen of druggists’ and other 
labels engraved and printed by Charles Shields, 23 Platt, 
corner of Gold Street, New York; 4to. 

Contains several hundred specimens. Original designs and plates of 
every description executed in the finest style of the art.” 

no 

Geo. C. Rand dc Avery, Boston, 1866: An illustrated descrip¬ 
tion of their new plant at No. 3 Cornhill, corner of Wash¬ 
ington Street, Boston; 8vo, pp. 150. 

Very interesting account of the largest commercial printing plant in 
America of that period. 

111 

A famous printing textbook: First edition of Thomas Mac- 
kellar’s ''The American Printer,” Philadelphia, 1866. 

More than fifty thousand copies of this work were sold; the latest edition 
was issued in 1889. 

11 2 

DeVinne Catalogue of 1867; R. Hoe Co.’s catalogue of 
printing machines. New York, 29 and 31 Gold Street, New 
York, 1867; printed by Francis Hart dC Co. 

The tide-page was doubtless produced under the supervision of DeVinne. 

Show card of Evans, printer, Philadelphia, circa 1865. 

An example of the more ambitious color printing from relief blocks at the 
time The Typothetae was established. 


4^ 


Beginnings of process engraving: ''A Brief Description of the 
Art of Anastatic Printing,” London, 1870. 

Rockwell dC Churchill, Boston, 1871: Specimens of types used 
in the office, 122 Washington Street, Boston, 1871; 8vo, 
pp. 150. 

One of the larger plants; all the”art” was centered on the title-page in 
four colors. 

I16 

Harpel’sTypographor Book of Specimens; . . . A collection 
of examples of letterpress job printing, by Oscar H. Harpel, 
Cincinnati, 1870; 8vo, pp. 250. 

Book famous in its day; it was ”the last word” in the typographic art of 
the period. 

Catalogue of builders’ hardware, 1871, issued by Mallory, 
Wheeler 6C Co., of New Haven. 

Undoubtedly the greatest trade catalogue of its time; reported to have 
cost ^30,000; all articles engraved full-size in wood; and all metals repre¬ 
sented by bronzes of various hues. 


Printing-Trade Periodicals of the Sixties 

118 

First independent printing-trade periodical in America: The 
Printer, October, 1866. 

This periodical was established in May, 1858; it was vigorous in 1865; 
there was no other independent printing-trade periodical at that time. 

119 

Printers’Circular, Vol. I, No. i, March i, 1866. 

A vigorous periodical which continued until 1890. 


46 


Evolution of the Printing Press 


120 

Original pictures illustrating evolution of invention in printing 
presses, etc.: 

a. Ancient wooden hand presses, 1450. 

b. Blaeu’s improvement on wooden hand press, 1620. 

c. Earliest American engraving of a printing press, 1792. 

d. Stanhope hand press; first all-iron press. 

e. Clymer’s Columbia hand press; first American all-iron hand 

presses, and first with direct lever action, 1814. 

f. Wells’ hand press, 1819; first of the ''Washington” type. 

g. Ruthven’s hand press. 

h. First numbering machine (Bramah’s). 

i. First self-inking treadle job press; invented by S. P. Ruggles, 

Boston, 1838. 

j. Adams’ power platen press for news and book printing. 

k. Early Gordon presses. 

/. First successful cylinder press (Koenig’s, 1814). 

m. First hand-power cylinder press (Rutt’s, 1819). 

n. Early drum cylinder press, 1840. 

o. Early three-revolution press. 

p. Early two-revolution press. 

q. First sheet perfecting press. 

r. First fast rotary sheet-feed newspaper press (Hoe’s Lightning 

press, 1847, with ten cylinders and ten feeders). 

s. First successful web perfecting press (Bullock’s, 1863). 


4/ 


BY AUTHORITY FROM THE NEW YORK TYPOTHETAE 
THIS BOOK WAS ARRANGED IN CLOISTER TYPES BY 
THE TYPOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT OF THE AMERICAN 
TYPE FOUNDERS COMPANY AFTER PLANS BY EDMUND G. 
GRESS IN THE YEAR NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN 































library 




